


Of Children and Cats

by Falka_tyan



Series: "Numb" Universe [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Alternate Universe, Bureaucracy, Cats, Dogs, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Parenthood, Romance, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falka_tyan/pseuds/Falka_tyan
Summary: Shiro is a rich ex-slave owner who lives in his great mansion with his found family. He has a lot on his plate since he tries to take care of everyone and everything at the same time.Yet, when he comes across children in peril, he sees no other way but to take them all under his wing,or a kid fic with Sheith as adoptive parents!
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron), minor Hunk/Lance - Relationship
Series: "Numb" Universe [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1227419
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Of Children and Cats

**Author's Note:**

  * For [give_it_a_little_nudge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/give_it_a_little_nudge/gifts).



> Hello, my dears!
> 
> This is a story of Shiro becoming an adoptive parent. He comes a long way! It is concentrated around Shiro's noble impulses, painful reality checks and kids' shenanigans.
> 
> Shiro's country has recently abolished slavery. Keith, Lance and Hunk are former slaves. Shiro has been their owner (he was good, I swear).  
> Keith is dating Shiro. Keith is 16, 17 by the end of the fic! If it makes you uncomfortable, skip. They don't do anything more than kiss though. They wait!
> 
> Those of you who read my fic ["Numb"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15063494/) will not see anything new here. This is actually Chapter 33 of "Numb" reworked and posted as a separate work. It doesn't contain any dark stuff that "Numb" consists of (except for some mentions of the previous regime, including one questionable cult; nothing detailed, though). I wanted more people to be able to read this part of the story since it's really soft and fluffy.  
> I would be glad if my loyal readers decided to revisit this happy chapter and my favourite AU!
> 
> Have a good time reading!  
> Spoiler alert: there's a gorgeous cat pic inside! O-ho-ho

That sunny day in June, Shiro manages to render even Keith speechless (and it does say something, what with Keith’s general ability to take anything Shiro-related in stride).

What happens? Long story short: Shiro comes home with the intention to adopt 29 children.

When Keith asks for details, Shiro explains how he came to the Underage Sector of the Department of Newly Freed Citizens Care Services to ask for information on a boy who’s come to his mansion with a group of refugees, and then there were these little kids, newly brought in. A whole bunch of them. The Department’s employee told him that they will divide the kids into smaller groups and send each group to a different boarding school depending on available places. Shiro asked some more questions. It turned out that the kids had been raised together and consider each other family. Looking at how the poor kids huddled close to one another and watched the adults around them with fear, Shiro just knew he had to do something. He hadn’t come up with any solution other than to adopt the whole group.

His closest circle listens to the news, takes in Shiro’s determined face, collects their jaws from the floor silently and starts planning.

The next day, Shiro, Matt and Keith go back to the city hall with the intention to sign the papers and make sure that the kids don’t get separated. This is quite a special case. All 29 kids have been living in a slave village where only two adult slaves have been tending to their needs. It was a direct violation of the laws on underaged slaves from the previous regime where it stands black on white that one adult slave can only take care of three kids at the same time, the only exception being full-time childcare workers. The two adult slaves also had a lot of other responsibilities so they couldn't be counted as such. The ex-owner couldn't even imagine that someone would question his ownership over his underaged slaves, so much that he didn’t even chip the kids - another gross violation. 

The ex-owner of the kids involved them in the services and rituals of the cult he’d founded.

The kids have been mostly left to their own devices, alone in a big house and, as a result, they have developed extreme codependence. The more Shiro learns about the case, the creepier it seems. The kids have mentioned something about their friends “going away” during some of those rituals. Shiro doesn’t even want to think about the implications. Obviously, not everyone was keen on obeying the law and still, it’s rare to find such an egregious example of overall craziness. But to cast light upon this case is the task of the Governor’s “inquisitors” while Shiro's priority is to take the kids under his wing. Shiro does his best not to allow grim thoughts to distract him. Keith, unfortunately, takes the matter to heart. He has to run to the closest bathroom to vomit when he hears some sordid details.

Strangely, but Shiro meets resistance where he wouldn’t have expected it at all: the woman responsible for ex-slave kids adoptions doesn’t want to give them all to Shiro. They have a contest of wills; Shiro would've called Steve but he has a feeling that this woman is one of his favourites. Shiro is also certain that Steve, the Governor and his closest friend, wouldn’t approve of the idea at all. Shiro might be able to try and adopt 29 kids only because Steve is in the capital right now, and Steve’s Big Boss keeps him too busy to pay attention to Shiro’s shenanigans.

While Shiro and the woman talk to each other politely-aggressively, Matt and Keith (who is still fairly green) sit on visitors’ chairs at the far wall and discuss quietly which building is better suited for the children’s needs.

Shiro’s patience, in the meantime, grows thinner by the second.

“There is no restriction on how many kids I may adopt, Mrs Thinster.”

“It is different when it comes to ex-slave kids. Adoption of ex-slaves belongs to another area of law, that’s why different rules are applied.”

“Can you prove it with a citation from a legal document, please?”

“No, Mr Shirogane, unfortunately, the legal base is still in the making. You will have to believe me as the representative of the state.”

“Is it so? Once again, Mrs Thinster, I highly appreciate your concern for the kids, but I have excellent conditions to take care of them. I’m a good candidate. Don’t we all want to make their life better?”

“We do, of course, we do. I only want what’s good for my charges. I don’t refuse to let you adopt some of them. But, Mr Shirogane, 29 little boys and girls? That’s too much for one single parent whoever they were.”

“You have to know that they are very close to each other. They are each other’s family. We can’t separate them.”

“It may be good for them in terms of adaptation to normal life.”

It goes like that for another hour; back and forth, back and forth. Soon, Matt outright naps on Keith’s shoulder while Keith glares at Mrs Thinster with barely veiled contempt.

In the end, Shiro and Mrs Thinster all but shout at each other through gritted teeth.

“Twenty-two!”

“No, it’s too many!”

“Twenty-one, Mrs Thinster!”

“No! Be considerate, Mr Shirogane!”

“Twenty!!!”

“Oh goddess the merciful! Take twenty! I’ll be sure not to leave your mansion unattended by our highly-professional social workers! You know, we are very strict when it comes to living conditions of adopted children!”

“That I appreciate! Check up on us all you want! Where do I sign, goddess give me patience!”

“Here! And here! And every time you see a mark!”

“Thank you!”

“You’re highly welcome! Make sure your signature is recognisable!”

“Why don’t you use computer-generated signatures here!”

“Highly-regarded Mr Fennel threatens us with that innovation since his first day here! Now I know where he gets… advice!”

“I’m done! When can I take them home?”

“Have you been to the courses already?”

“What. Courses. Dear Mrs Thinster? You haven’t mentioned any courses.”

“If only you gave me a chance to speak. The courses are obligatory for all new parents. It’s another guarantee of your good intentions.”

“How come that I learn about them only now?”

“It’s because if the kids were not adopted today or tomorrow, we’d have sent them to different schools the day after tomorrow. Now though, knowing their new caretaker, we can leave them here, at our premises, while you receive the necessary knowledge. See, I’m already making you a huge favour, Mr Shirogane.”

“I can’t articulate the depths of my gratitude to you, dear Mrs Thinster.”

“You’re welcome here any time, Mr Shirogane. You can still change your mind, by the way.”

At that note, Shiro stomps out of the room, waking up Matt and making Keith flinch when he sees the unbridled fury on his face.

The evening is spent in the search for adoptive parents for the other nine kids. To Shiro’s great surprise, by 10 pm Lance and Hunk manage to find five families with kids and two families without who are willing to take on this responsibility among the employees of Shiro’s mansion. Since many of them already have rooms in Shiro’s sleeping quarters for employees, it’s a good solution. Shiro hopes that he’ll be able to let the kids live together for a while and then, with time, help them to become more independent from their so-called siblings.

The whole mansion becomes a whirlwind of preparations. Shiro gives jobs to a lot of refugees since his employees can’t handle everything at once.

At night, hugging Keith close and telling him stories to help him fall asleep, Shiro mentally goes through lists of things that he'll have to do tomorrow. How he’ll have to drive the seven families to the city hall and go through Mrs Thinster again; how he needs to visit those damned courses every working day for a whole month (!) now. At least, they will be able to visit the premises where the kids live at the moment and get to know them.

Goddess, it’s such a gamble! It seems to be the biggest risk Shiro has ever taken. Yet, Shiro doesn’t feel even an ounce of doubt. He has always been good with kids, with people in general, actually. They’ll make it.

“Go to sleep, you!” Keith grumbles from under Shiro’s arm, "You think too loud!”

And Shiro does as he is told. He can’t disturb his boy’s sleep, can he?

Shiro’s “Education Month”, as Keith has called it, is a nightmare. Shiro doesn’t know how other people manage the courses - maybe, they don’t have to do it all in one month? Not only has Shiro to ride to the city and back every day or stay in a guest room at Steve’s place (which would’ve been great if only Steve was home at the same time), but he also has to prove that he’s a decent person every step on the way. There’s a lot of useful information, a lot of nice instructors, but still, Mrs Thinster doesn’t lose any chance to come to “observe” and to “guide”.

Shiro doesn’t have a chance to spend much time at home. It means he is unable to contribute enough to prevent feeling unhelpful. Of course, it becomes a source of constant frustration. Salomey, his chief-assistant and Steve’s apprentice, doesn’t even bother to call him most of the times she has to make an important decision, and Shiro has serious doubts about whether he can still be considered the main person in the household. He complains to Steve that Steve’s been the worst housekeeper ever, always doing everything his way, and that Salomey has become too proud to entertain the property owner with the news about it or consider consulting him. Steve answers, matter-of-factly, that he’s been the best housekeeper in the history of housekeeping and that he’ll make the whole region as neatly organized as Shiro’s mansion is. He adds that Salomey is a good apprentice after all, but she still has a lot to learn, if the owner keeps noticing things that he doesn’t participate in. Shiro doesn’t have a reply to that.

Keith sometimes comes to the city with Shiro and sits through the courses with him. Or Shiro lets Keith visit Steve; he’d never trust anyone else with Keith’s safety. Steve, in his turn, takes Keith with him on business rides through the city and its suburbs. It leaves such a great impression on Keith that he falls asleep, telling Shiro stories about his busy day, for a change. Keith's sheer enthusiasm about ordinary things reminds Shiro how much Keith still needs to learn. He keeps forgetting, with how wise Keith is in his 16 years, that he hasn’t seen much other than his village, the boarding school for slaves and Shiro’s mansion. Shiro asks Salomey to give the other two ex-slave boys in his care, Lance and Hunk, some errands in the city (with the due escort, of course) to give them the same opportunity to expand their horizons as Keith has.

The “Education Month” is over sooner than Shiro expected. It’s the second week of July, and Shiro finds himself on the steps of the Department building at a loss for what to do. His certificate of a proud adoptive parent is in his hands, finally, and, all of a sudden, Shiro has free time. Anxiety kicks in momentarily. But why? Everything is going well so far. He’s been visiting the kids every day while he was in the city and they seem to recognize him. The date of their transfer to their new home has been decided and announced.

Looks like Shiro has come to realise what Mrs Thinster tried to tell him all month long: signing papers and actually taking the responsibility for 29 kids are two very different things.

Shiro calls Steve and asks whether he has time to get drunk together. Steve immediately replies that he’ll pick Shiro up in a few minutes. Shiro sits down on a bench nearby, puts his face in his hands and stays like that until Steve comes for him and tugs him into the car.

When Shiro surfaces from his heavy thoughts, he notices that they are getting closer to his mansion. He glances at Steve with confusion.

“I’m not getting you drunk, new father,” Steve states. “You have Lucys and Lous coming to you tomorrow; 13 of the first category, 16 of the second…”

The cultists had only two names for their kids. The reminder makes Shiro close his fists in silent fury. Not that renaming kids now is an option.

Steve participates in a little family dinner where everyone tries to reassure Shiro that they are ready and everything will be fine, then leaves - he has a big opening in the city tomorrow. Shiro is in so much need of a drink, but Keith is merciless and Salomey is watching him, that’s why Shiro stays put and even asks for a sedative himself.

The next day, Shiro is left at home to wait and prepare his speech since he’s white from nerves and kids definitely don’t need their caregiver to look like he’s close to fainting on their way to the new home. Keith goes to the city in his stead.

Shiro catches his little three-legged kitten, Ginger, and walks in circles in front of the main entrance. Ginger is well-versed in Shiro’s quirks already and endures his break-down patiently. He is ushered inside by Allura who comes with Matt and Pidge an hour before the kids arrive. The cat is set free, and Shiro is given a task to do: Allura has brought 29 gift packages and she makes Shiro write inscriptions on each one. He starts with writing each kid’s name on packages. He finishes quickly, and Allura suddenly decides that every package needs one more inscription. Just when Shiro finishes writing “Welcome to Your New Home!” for the 27th time, Allura announces that Keith and the kids are on their way. Despite Shiro's weak protestations, she takes over Shiro’s task and sends him to the house entrance.

Shiro thinks that he might faint, for real. He’s never been so scared in his life, or maybe he has, but it was a different kind of fear. Anyway, he can’t make himself walk to the door to the outside until Lance and Hunk flank him from both sides and just start moving.

“You can do this, Master Shiro,” Lance slips. He barely shrugs when he sees Shiro wince at the title, saying: “Sorry! I kinda got used to calling you like that. Buuuut! These kids don’t have to call you or anyone else by such a title; let’s go out and be happy for the kids together.”

The rest of the morning passes in a blur. Shiro remembers Keith leading kids in pairs from the entrance gates, the smallest girl proudly holding the two oldest boys’ hands and walking at the head of the small procession as a part of the single trio. He remembers the kids huddling close to each other, as they did that day in the Department’s office, Keith saying something, the reassuring warmth of Hunk and Lance from both sides; Shiro remembers Allura laughing her most beautiful laugh when Keith says something funny with a straight face, and Matt glancing at her with adoration. Pidge is running around with a camera, and Salomey is nowhere to be seen. Keith talks to the kids some more, and their replies are either called out in unison or uttered by one of the biggest boys.

Then, suddenly, all attention is on Shiro, and Keith is saying something like: “This is Shiro, and he absolutely can’t take care of himself. He is very fragile but I still love him. Please, don’t hurt poor Shiro.” That’s, at least, what Shiro thinks has been said. According to Keith, it was: “This is Shiro, your new adoptive parent. He is very kind. Please, respect him.” Anyway, what everyone agrees about is that all kids simultaneously drop to their knees and say in unison: “Good morning, Sir Shiro!”

This greeting wakes Shiro up from his daze.

It’s not Shiro’s proudest moment. Caught off guard, he looks at the kids and says in his authoritative voice:

“Up, everyone!”

Shiro overdoes it, with the voice. A whole fucking lot. It meant to be reassuring, but… It’s just not Shiro’s day.

The kids leap to their feet and freeze, wide-eyed. They look paralyzed with fear, and Shiro has the urge to come closer, to comfort them, but Keith shakes his head in the negative. Shiro stays where he is and watches helplessly how Keith communicates with the two oldest boys.

There are not many people at the entrance: they were told to keep it low-profile, no parties, no excessive noise. Except for Shiro and his friends, there are only those of his employees who became adoptive parents at the same time as he (and had to visit the same courses - unfortunately, on another schedule than Shiro). Shiro and they still haven’t decided how to act around the children - according to what the Department’s workers told them, the kids didn’t show any signs of wanting to communicate with anyone outside their circle. They were complacent and well-behaved for as long as they have been allowed to stay together. During any attempt to separate them, most of the kids started crying, the others just shut down. The two boys who started acting like the leaders of the small group would go into a rage. When Shiro and others would visit them, the children would give monosyllabic answers when asked and ignore them in other cases.

This time, fortunately, Keith is able to make Lou I and Lou II (as Shiro decides to call them in their head) listen to him and ask them to lead their brothers and sisters to their respective rooms.

Shiro and his team have prepared seven bedrooms for the kids, all close to each other, all of them having doors leading to the next bedroom. Keith leads the kids there, the others follow. The kids look like a flock of birds. Despite being dressed in different clothes, they all manage to have similar facial expressions and act like one: when Lou I turns left, everyone turns, when Lou I stops, everyone stops without missing a beat.

Shiro follows the group. He fought teeth and nails to get the chance to spare the kids the additional trauma of being separated, and now they are here. He has a thousand pages of instructions and recommendations of how to treat adopted kids, how to treat kids who've suffered a trauma, how to treat kids who used to live in a sect. He has read through them all, and Keith has. Yet, he looks at the kids’ identical expressions and feels like he can’t change anything. Can’t influence their lives more than he’s already had by giving them a place to stay.

And then he hears a girl’s voice squeal happily: “Pussycat! Oh, kitty, kitty, come here!” Shiro speeds up his steps, to be able to save Ginger from aggressive kids, just in case. To his immense relief, when he gets closer to the first room, he sees Keith sitting in a crouch, the cat cradled to Keith’s chest, while one of the many Lucys stands in front of Keith and coos, fully lost in her admiration of the red cat.

The other kids look at her weirdly for some time, but then, one after another, they get closer and watch the cat, too. Ginger purrs and demands Keith’s attention.

“Where is the kitty’s paw?” one boy asks unexpectedly. He sounds incredulous and a little angry. It’s the loudest Shiro has ever heard these kids speak. Shiro doesn’t even have a second to be glad about it since the little Lou hunches in on himself, as if trying to get smaller, and starts chanting apologies. Immediately, the other girls and boys panic and start apologizing, too. Shiro crouches, to be on the same level, and says quietly, looking at the boy:

“It’s OK. You can talk loudly. You hear me, Lou?”

The boy lifts his teary eyes at Shiro and searches for something. He instinctively leans back from Shiro, while his feet don’t move from the spot. Shiro feels a little sick. He knows rationally that he hasn’t done anything to induce such a reaction, but it doesn’t help much. Shiro knows that look; Shiro knows that he himself had worn that same look many times in the past. The kid is expecting to be hurt.

“Lou, you are safe here. No one will hurt you,” Shiro says.

Shiro looks around, trying to catch the kids’ gazes; trying to be his charming self from the past; trying to get them to trust him, if even a little. Gaining their full trust will sure as hell take more than that, but there has to be a start, as with everything.

Shiro won’t give up on these children.

“No one will get hurt here. This is your home. If anyone treats you badly, you can always tell me and I will defend you. Everything is alright from now on.”

Shiro notices a few girls and boys smiling at him shyly; some look distrustful and hide behind their friends’ backs. The two oldest boys look like they might cry. Then, Shiro’s gaze lands on Keith.

Keith smiles at him proudly. Shiro has never seen Keith smiling so radiantly as he is now. Despite himself, Shiro helplessly smiles back.

Now he believes himself more - everything will be alright with them.

The next day, Steve comes to visit. He brings Shiro the most unexpected gift ever.

When Shiro meets Steve at the gates, upon his request, he can see his ex-assistant is getting out of his car in an odd fashion. For some reason, Steve is moving backwards. He is holding something awkwardly in his outstretched arms.

When Steve turns to Shiro, he can see that it’s... a huge white cat with brown mittens, a brown tail and a pale-brown face!

Steve practically throws the cat at Shiro and starts tidying his costume from her fur frantically.

Shiro thanks the Universe for his quick reflexes - the cat is caught effortlessly - and glares at Steve. Before he can start a lecture on how to treat cats right, Steve announces:

“Her owner wanted her euthanized because she was leaving the city and didn’t want to take the cat with her. She needs a new home.”

Shiro hugs the cat closer to himself protectively and says: “What trash of a person!” He pets the cat’s head, hears her purring and melts a little on the inside.

“She is called Belladonna,” Steve informs, aggressively cleaning his jacket with a sticky roller.

“I’ll call her Dina,” Shiro says, looking in Dina’s azure eyes with awe.

He hears Steve blowing a tiny sigh of relief.

“There were two cats in that situation. I didn’t know which to take. I’m glad you like her.”

At Shiro’s horrified gaze Steve comments:

“My secretary has taken the other one. Actually, I’ve ordered to institute a rule on not killing healthy animals when there is a shelter in the city.”

Shiro doesn’t have words for the overall human indecency. Steve puts a hand on Shiro’s shoulder and says:

“I am actually here only to deliver the cat. I’m going right back now. Are you going to be alright?”

Shiro appreciates such a personal approach to cat-gifting which he tells Steve. They’d go for a hug, but - fur. So Shiro nods to Steve and repeats:

“Thank you for Dina, Steve. She’ll be in good hands.”

“Keep me updated on her life, otherwise, my secretary won’t leave me alone.”

That’s most unexpected, but Shiro has to promise to send Steve a photo of Dina at Midday of every working day before they part.

When Shiro enters his and Keith’s bedroom, Dina in his hands, Keith looks up from his book (he is having a break from childcare and tries to catch up on his reading) and asks where Steve is. Then he sees the purring cat and his gaze turns uncomprehending.

“This is Dina. A gift from Steve.”

“Oh. She’s lovely,” Keith replies as if it’s a sufficient explanation. He then kisses Shiro on the cheek and goes back to his book.

Shiro starts to really appreciate Steve’s gift after Ginger promptly leaves him to spend her time with the newly adopted flock. Most of the kids get scratched and bitten, but their love for Ginger only grows. Shiro can’t fathom such a betrayal - Ginger rarely even comes to their bedroom to sleep anymore. Keith tells him that Ginger has taken the hardest role on herself - to make the kids communicate with others - and that Shiro should be proud of her deeds. Shiro only hides his face in the fur on Dina’s belly and asks: “Will you betray me, too, one day?” Dina paws at his head tenderly and purrs. That’s her universal response to everything. She is the cuddliest animal in the world. She even managed to turn previously aggressive towards her Ginger into her friend. If it were up to her, she’d never leave Shiro’s lap or arms. Very quickly, Shiro got used to wearing her around on his neck, not unlike an exotic boa.

The kids continue to give Shiro a headache, but with his new furry “accessory” he at least has one advantage when dealing with them. The kids first start laughing from joy when Shiro comes in (because, kitty!) and only then remember that Shiro is an adult and they should be cautious. There’s one more bonus: Dina never leaves Shiro’s shoulders outside the bedroom. It is strange, taking her affectionate nature into consideration; as if she took Shiro’s pleas not to betray him to heart. She only ever goes to Keith’s arms if Shiro needs to go somewhere without her. This makes petting the cat only possible in one situation: when one gets close to Shiro. Dina is not scary at all, and many kids decide that she is worth nearing “Sir Shiro”.

A psychologist from the Department comes to the mansion every second day and has sessions with the kids. Shiro, or someone else from the adoptive parents, goes there and watches. The kids are closed off, scared and don’t want to stay away from each other, ever. Shiro is worried because often they would all gather up in one bedroom of the seven and make a giant nest of blankets on the floor. As if they will never even learn how to sleep in smaller groups. The kids don’t get scolded, but they are told to go to sleep in their own beds next time.

The mansion staff somehow chooses their favourites. The other adoptive parents stick to their chosen kids, of course, but everyone else tries to see their favourite Lous and Lucys at least once a day. Shiro has forbidden to bring them treats or initiate contact without asking him or Keith first, but it doesn’t work too well. There are no treats, but people persistently try to make the kids smile or look at them. Hunk and Lance spend their whole free time helping with the kids. Somehow, the three of Shiro’s boys have earned the kids’ trust and found a way to their hearts easily. Shiro thinks that it’s the result of being brought up in somewhat similar circumstances. Or maybe it’s just them - open and caring and loveable.

Where Keith is all business and talks to the girls and boys like to tiny adults, Lance and Hunk coo at them and spoil them. Everyone wants to be lifted by Hunk and swirled around in his strong hands. Every child from the flock wants to be noticed by Keith. When Lance smiles at the kids, they all get shy and blushy. They crack up with laughter when Lance tells them another super-clever joke of his.

Shiro thinks that he hasn’t seen Lance and Hunk this happy and self-assured ever before.

Hunk admits that he misses his friends from his boarding school. He and Matt make a request for a search to learn where the ex-slaves from that school have been placed.

At the end of the second week at Shiro’s mansion, Keith manages to lure their kindergarten outside by the promise of cuddling big fluffy dogs. He leads them (and their nanny) to the crates with the mansion’s guard dogs. The dogs are, indeed, big and fluffy (most of them). But they are intimidating, too. While Keith goes inside and cuddles and wrestles each and every one of the dogs, the kids are not as courageous. They barely have enough willpower not to run away from the friendliest Newfoundland dog in existence, Spooky, when they're introduced to him. But Spooky knows what he’s doing. Spooky sits himself inside a circle of kids and starts playing ball with them. The game consists of one child pushing the ball towards Spooky and Spooky pushing it back. It works surprisingly well, and Keith watches for some time, amazed. For the whole duration of their play, Spooky doesn’t move from his place in the centre, and when Keith announces that they have to go back home, some of the kids come closer to the giant dog, look at him with longing in their eyes and only reluctantly turn away. Spooky stays in place until the last kid leaves, wagging his tail joyfully. Lous and Lucys can hardly walk straight with how often they twirl their heads back at Spooky.

When Keith retells the events of the day later in the evening, he says that, the next time they go to the dogs, Lucy-with-Ponytails will definitely pet Spooky, and that maybe he’ll introduce the Rottweiler to the kids sometime later... There's more, but Shiro is so tired that he partly tunes Keith out.

There’s too much work and volunteering and family business to fit into 24 hours, Shiro doesn’t remember falling asleep and waking up. And yet, when Shiro lies with his beloved in their bed and listens to him talking excitedly about the kids, he thinks that he is the luckiest person alive.

Keith made clear more than a month in advance that a party for his birthday is the last thing he wants. Shiro, of course, took the info into account, and the two of them didn’t have to speak about that again. Goddess knows Shiro is not the one to betray Keith’s trust by surprising him with an unwanted party.

But a present is a different matter entirely. Shiro thinks that Keith may like a present. Maybe. But the birthday seems so far away that Shiro doesn’t feel the need to ask Keith what he wants just now. There’s so much to do and to discuss as is, and then the kidnapping happens, and the recovery takes so much time for both of them...

And then, completely out of the blue, Salomey tells him that Keith’s birthday is in a week. The 27th of July. To say that Shiro is astounded would be an understatement. With all those troubles with the children, it has somehow completely slipped Shiro’s mind that there’s such a thing as Keith’s birthday at all. That same evening, Shiro asks Keith what he wants for his birthday and receives an incredulous stare in response.

“But I have everything I want already!” Keith says, his brows furrowing.

Shiro doesn’t know whether to be happy to hear such words from Keith or to be disappointed because of not getting any help whatsoever. He still doesn’t have the slightest idea what to get for Keith’s birthday, and the urge to gift Keith something, anything, is very much present.

It needs to be mentioned that Shiro has acquired a weird habit - to come to one of the kids’ bedrooms (the second one, his favourite; yes, Shiro has favourites, don’t judge him) and sit there rambling about his daily problems (the 0+ rated ones, of course). He doesn’t think it’s wise, it just so happens. It started as Shiro talking to Dina (which is another weird thing, but Shiro avoids talking to his cat where someone may overhear so it must be OK).

This time, Shiro comes to the kids' bedroom, sits on the floor in his usual spot (there is a special throw pillow in the room, just for him) and allows two girls and two boys to pet Dina while the spoiled beauty of a cat purrs and coils her shiny furs this way and that. When the kids have enough, they back off and return to their toys. This is when Shiro starts talking.

This time, he talks about Keith and his birthday. When he contemplates aloud whether he needs to buy a present or not, Lou-the-Curly comes closer to him and mumbles, watching his feet:

“If you can buy a present, then you should buy it! A present is better than no present!”

The other three echo in unison from where they are building a house from pillows, chairs and giant lego blocks: “Yeah!”

And so it’s settled.

Shiro just has to decide what this present should be, no biggie.

Of course, he says it aloud.

“Buy him a cat!” one of the Lucys, the bolder one, says.

“Yeah! A cat!” the other three echo, elated.

“But he likes dogs,” Shiro tries.

“No. A cat. Dogs bark and… Cat is better!”

“Yeah! There are so many dogs and only two cats here!”

“Ginger bites! Only Dina is nice!”

“Cats are the coolest!”

Is a cat now like a badge of status in this mansion? - Shiro wonders, making his way to his study afterwards.

Instead of running himself ragged in search of ideas, Shiro decides to test the only one he has now and texts Keith:

“Baby, my kids think you need a cat for your birthday. What do you say?”

“Another poor stray at the shelter?” Keith answers immediately. His texting speed is a little crazy.

“No, Goddess forbid! Just an idea. From our kids. For your present.”

“I want a dog.”

“I told them! But now I think that kids will despise me if I don’t give you a cat. Cats are the coolest, they say.”

“So, if you don’t give me a cat, they’ll say you’re a greedy ass, only want to have cats yourself, and will point their little fingers accusingly at you?”

“Language, boy!” Shiro types quickly to hide how nervous this mental image really makes him.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll be good!”

Shiro can hear Keith laughing from wherever he is now.

“You better behave,” Shiro adds, fully aware that they both know: he is not as scary as he pretends to be.

“I will!” Keith mercifully plays along.

“I know. You’re my most beloved boy ever,” Shiro tells Keith, and this time, it doesn’t come off jokingly.

“Love you too, Shiro. So much!” comes the answer from Keith.

And a second later:

“So you say I’m so very good?”

Shiro can feel a trap here. But he can’t lie to Keith, can he?

“Very-very good, Keith!”

“Then I think I want a cat and a dog,” his boy replies.

Did Keith really ask for something extra for himself, just now?

Shiro types and hits “send” with record speed:

“Deal!”

“That’s it? No arguments????”

“Two more pets won’t make a difference for our zoo.”

Keith doesn’t answer for several minutes, and Shiro starts working on some business-related emails when his phone rings.

“Even if the dog I want is a wolf-dog breed?” reads the text from Keith.

Shiro stares at it a little longer than he should.

“You want a WOLF?”

“A quarter-wolf, but yes.”

“OMG. It’ll eat our cats, Keith.”

“No. It’ll be the most docile pet we have.”

“Keith, but a wolf!”

“Shiro. You are not the Red Riding Hood and I am not her Grandma, so chill out!”

“.... Am I not? :P”

Again, there’s a pause in between the responses. And then another text from Keith:

“I’m trying to work here, you!”

Shiro is grinning so hard right now. Maybe, they can work it out, after all.

“It will need a BIG crate,” he types.

“It’s a boy. I’ll call him Cosmo.”

Sounds like a thing Keith has thought about a lot.

“And the cat?”

“You can choose one. Make it a surprise. I promise to cherish it the way it deserves. And I’ll request the crate from Hunk and Pidge.”

Now that the thing with a wolf in his house starts becoming real, Shiro gets nervous again.

“Yay,” Shiro writes not to foul the mood.

“Cheer up, Shiro! One more cat in the house, isn’t it awesome!”

The sly boy and his distraction tactics!

But Shiro remembers. It’s one more cat and a wolf.

“I’m scared,” Shiro admits in the next text.

“Don’t be. I won’t let my wolf eat you, my little Red Riding Hood,” Keith replies suavely.

This is how Shiro ends up using his adjoining bathroom inappropriately that day and a wolf-proof crate is planned to be built somewhere in the farther part of Shiro’s garden.

Four days prior to his birthday, Keith starts having nightmare after nightmare.

It’s been almost a year since Shiro bought Keith as his slave.

Hunk and Lance, who have been bought by Shiro just a little later, know what this time of year means for Keith better than anyone. They, too, look a little lost (and when Pidge comes by that week, Shiro sees her wiping tears away when she leaves).

In the night, Keith keeps dreaming about his past.

Shiro reassures Keith that he is safe however he can. He holds Keith and hugs him at every opportunity. Shiro has to put Keith to bed every night and then wake him up softly every time when he starts whimpering in his sleep. When one day Keith says wistfully that he’d better just disappear from the mansion for some time so that no one reminds him about the summer of the previous year, even unintentionally, Shiro is happy to oblige.

If Keith wants to disappear, they can make it happen. Shiro makes a quick overview in his head; seems like there won’t be any hindrances.

Shiro’s “headquarters”, led by Salomey, know what they’re doing (arguably better than their employer). The kids are doing OK. They have at least ten nannies and the whole mansion’s staff (not to mention Lance and Hunk) to take care of them. With Steve as Governor, Shiro doubts he has to worry about some unexpected cataclysms.

When Keith is asked whether he wants to spend three days away from the mansion together with Shiro, he agrees instantly, not asking for details.

So they disappear and have a mini-vacation in a modern hotel near a swan-lake. It’s as lovely as it could be, and, of course, they both start missing their home by the end of their stay.

They return a little early on the third day. They don't even stop at the shelter to look at their cats to find Keith one.

Keith and Shiro don’t exit the car immediately upon their arrival, despite noticing a group of their friends waiting for them. Just before that, Keith has received some important news, and now Shiro has to reassure Keith that everything will be OK. Both are deep in discussion when someone knocks at the car window, startling them. It’s Pidge. Shiro takes a deep breath and dials the window down.

Pidge tells them:

“Your kids have enriched Dina’s palette, a little.”

Shiro’s eyes go wide. He can hear Keith behind him make a little squeaking sound.

In a matter-of-fact tone, Pidge assures Shiro that Dina has endured the dyeing of her fur in all the colours of the rainbow by felt-tip pens without arguing or acting stressed by the treatment.

Shiro doesn’t know whether to be angry at the kids or to be amused by all this. He looks at Pidge questioningly and waves his hands around, trying to ask: “How?...” Pidge seems to guess correctly since she says:

“The nanny was absent for 10 minutes. Got caught up in another bedroom. When she came in, Ginger was sitting on top of the wardrobe and licking herself lazily, while Dina was lying in the middle of the kids’ circle who were painting her with felt-tip pens. The nanny claims, Dina sighed resignedly when their eyes met.”

Shiro finally finds his voice:

“But why would she even go there?”

Pidge shrugs. Shiro finally decides to exit the car, Keith follows suit.

Salomey approaches them, slowly. She looks like she expects to be scolded and grounded. Hunk and Lance stand awkwardly to the side, not daring to look at Shiro directly. Do they all think it’s their fault his cat has been in trouble? Is this why they have sent Pidge to be the messenger? Is Shiro feared that much?

Keith saves the day.

He comes at Salomey and offers, deadpan:

“We should dye your hair green, as a punishment.”

Salomey lifts her head, automatically, to give a reply (and Shiro thinks she was inclined to agree to whatever punishment Keith would invent), then sees Keith’s eyes, shining with mirth, and glares at him, instead.

Pidge snorts, whispers to Hunk something like: “See, not so scary, after all,” Hunk snorts, too, and everyone is back to normal.

Then Salomey starts talking about work. They haven’t even entered the house, but Shiro misses their vacation so badly already.

Coming back is nice, though. Shiro reads his favourite kids a bedtime story, cuddles the shit out of both Ginger and Dina (she looks a little like an impressionist painting, poor girl), looks the mansion over briefly - everything seems to be alright. He ends up walking to the glass library in the dark. But when he comes close to it, he sees lights on the second floor.

Keith is sitting on a pillow on his usual spot. He smiles at Shiro dreamily.

Shiro turns the lights out and joins Keith on the floor - the pillow turns out to be big enough for two.

They lean onto the bench behind them and watch the stars through the glass ceiling. The night sky won’t ever cease to amaze Shiro.

Shiro tugs Keith close to himself and lets him hide on his chest.

Just imagine, Shiro says to himself, a year ago you could have been sitting here, all alone, without hope, without any wish to go on, without a chance at happiness. Your home has been sterile and empty. And look around now: haven’t your dreams come true?

Shiro thinks about his little boys and girls who grow calmer (and naughtier) with every day they spend in the mansion, about Hunk and Lance who take care of the buildings and gardens with so much love as if they belong to them. He thinks about all the plans that have been made, about all the projects he and Steve have already started.

Shiro is happy.

Shiro is happy and he is not scared.

His life promises to give him a lot of challenges every day. He and Keith have so much to work through. But it's alright, it's how it should be.

Shiro vows to himself that every time he’ll start doubting himself or his life choices or his commitment to Keith, he’ll think about this moment in the glass library and remember what is important in his life.

And then he kisses Keith, just because he can.

This is Shiro’s life now. It’s time to get used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey! 
> 
> What do you think about Shiro as a parent?  
> How did you like Dina and Ginger?
> 
> Keith is a sweetie, isn't he?
> 
> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> You can find me here:  
> on Twitter [Falka-tyan](https://twitter.com/FalkaTyan/)  
> or on Tumblr [Falka-tyan](http://falka-tyan.tumblr.com/)


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